It's a documented fact: the holidays make people do crazy things. Take me, for instance. Last week, when Susan came in for her dreadlock appointment she presented me with this inspiration image:
And like a crazy person, I said "Sure! No problem!"
Sheesh...
After explaining the amount of homework and aftercare required, I attained Susan's solemn promise to meticulously maintain and palmroll each of her million tiny locks, and we got started. Eleven (yeah, eleven) hours later, we had transformed her hair completely from a frustrating curly mop to the dreadlocks of her dreams. (She even let me call her Chad, thus allowing me to fulfill my oath to never again attempt to install that many dreads on anyone except Chad.)
I will not do this for just anyone who asks. There are certain textures of hair that will be so maintenance-heavy with this number of dreads that I won't even start it. Tiny dreads are like the puppy a kid desperately wants at Christmas. When that kid realizes how much work goes into taking care of it, the level of attention goes way down. And who gets stuck with taking care of things? Me! I'm not going to spend twelve hours creating 150 dreads that will just become 75 anyways. (At least 90% of my Reconstruction jobs are due to sections being started far too small with way too many dreads - leading to neglect, massive joining, or falling apart.) Every once in a while, I'll meet someone who's got both the texture and the temperament to take it on.
I was beyond stoked to see Susan so happy with the outcome. We had a great time hanging out and talking about books, and laughing about stuff I can't even remember I was so tired! I got an email from her the next day promising to do me proud, and letting me know that her palmrolling routine takes 2.5 hours! See?! It really is a lot of work!
Today didn't start out so hot, lemme tell ya. I showed up at the shop this morning feeling like a moderately well-rested zombie (derby practice x 3, KB Christmas Party/Casino Extravaganza, Brathouse Christmas Dinner and Present Parade, Papa Lockafella's Birthday Dinner, The Charlie Da Clown Show World Premiere and oh yeah... working) only to find out that my morning (slash whole day) appointment was not coming in. This is not good.
[The last time I had an uninterrupted day to myself at the shop, I tried to Weird Science my way to Bruce Willis using the Gary and Wyatt method. According to my employee review this is "not the most effective use of company time." (Like they'd say that if it worked.) ]
Anyways, lucky for the dudes who pay the power bills around here, Martyna came in for some synth dread love!
I took the pic with her hat on because I thought I'd be fun to play a little game of "Spot the Synthie". It took me a couple times to find them, and I freakin' installed them 15 minutes ago! They blend in so nicely, and do a great job filling in the gaps between her larger locks. Thanks for coming in Martyna; crisis averted!
It's only 9 days until Christmas, and I'm celebrating in the traditional North American fashion by running myself so ragged that by the time Christmas actually rolls around I'll be good for nothing but crankily snapping at fruitcake-bearing relatives and throwing hot wassail in the face of unwary carolers. But you! You can have a lovely Christmas! There's still hope for you!
If someone in your circle is stumped about what to gift you this season, let them know about Knotty Boy Gift Certificates! What better way for Mom to express her love while also suggesting that perhaps a professional could... ahem...help? (Just a little.) You and I both know this is a gift she'll truly enjoy giving ;) Available in $10, $20, and $50 amounts, they can be redeemed in the shop for services with yours truly, or for any of Knotty Boy's awesome all-natural products! You should probably also bookmark knottyboy.com, just to be safe.
I'm pretty sure I just saved Christmas. (You're welcome!) Anyone looking to purchase gift certificates can call the shop at 1-877-566-8748 for more info. Happy Shopping Holiday!
Three Month Maintenance Time for Dom!
On the left she's looking freakin' stunning for someone who's spent the last 6 hours sitting on their butt and getting their hair pulled into brand spankin' new locks. And over on the right is Dom after our maintenance appointment yesterday. You can really see the size difference. When I say they're gonna get bigger with time, I ain't lying! Proof positive, right here. Her dreads are approximately doubled in size, and she's obviously been having a good time with colour. (I asked for the recipe for that awesome teal she achieved, and it's half manic Panic Midnight Blue and half MP Bad Boy Blue on bleached-to-yellow hair.) Fridays are cool.
When I consult with a new client, there are a few "red flags" I look out for, in terms of misinformation or misunderstanding. There are some HUGE myths out there about dreadlock care, and I want to make sure that everyone who's contemplating dreads in my chair is well informed about what's to come. The biggest misconceptions are always involving aftercare - yes, there's homework! I recently updated the information sheet that we give our clients at Knotty Boy, and I thought I'd post it up here for everyone who's asked.
Weekly Dreadlock Maintenance
Step 1 – Wash your locks
Washing your dreads is a key part of growing a healthy head of locks! Contrary to popular belief, shampooing your hair will actually help them develop faster and tighter – with the added bonus of smelling great!
When you wash, you only need to be concerned with your scalp – don’t worry about soaping up your locks. Give it a good scrub with the Knotty Boy Dread Shampoo Bar or Liquid Shampoo. The water and shampoo rinsing from your scalp will be enough to cleanse the dreads themselves.
Step 2 – Palmroll your dreads one at a time while they are still damp.
Palmrolling is the most basic and important tool of maintenance. Most lumps, bumps, and general disarray can be prevented and cured with regular palmrolling. Doing this when your hair is damp will help you to keep a cylindrical shape, as well as encourage loose hairs to reintegrate back into the lock. It will also help you to keep the new dreads separate from each other. This is the step to incorporate Locksteady Tightening Gel, if you choose.
To palmroll, start at the root and briskly roll your dread between your palms to the end.
Step 3 – Dry your locks, all the way through.
Most horror stories about smelly dreads have a common root cause, and that cause is trapped moisture! Making sure your dreads are 100% dry, all the way through, will prevent musty odors from developing. If you wash your hair more than once a week, or otherwise wet your hair often, you’ll want to make sure you use a blowdryer to accelerate the drying process. Otherwise, air drying is fine. Simply wait a day or two before proceeding with your maintenance routine.
Step 4 – Reapply wax, as needed.
Now that your hair is dry, you can apply a little more Knotty Boy Dread Wax to your dreads if necessary. Section out a dreadlock from the root, and give it a feel. If there is loose hair coming out, or it feels like it’s coming apart a little, then go ahead and add some more. If you have a jar, dig into the surface of the wax a little, so that you can easily take a pea-sized amount. Work that wax in your fingers to soften it and ease out any clumps. Next, massage it in to your dreadlock, starting at the roots and working down to the ends. Remember – less is more with this wax! You only need enough to bind the hair together.
*If you are using the Knotty Boy Wax Stick, you can just lightly run it down the body of the dread.*
When you’ve applied your wax, it’s time to palmroll again! Didn’t we mention it’s the most important tool in your hands? It’s the best way to get that wax where it’s going to do it’s work.
Some other helpful tips:
• Immediately after receiving dreadlocks or maintenance your hair will feel tight, and slight irritation to the scalp may occur. Redness around the hair line is normal and will go away shortly - don’t panic! Give it a spritz with Knotty Boy Peppermint Cooling Spray to ease itchiness and irritation.
• Don’t tie up your wet dreads or pile them in a hat – you’ll need the air to circulate freely!
• Don’t apply wax to wet hair – you’ll trap the moisture inside, creating a stinky mess.
• Use a shower cap when you aren’t washing your hair.
• For tight, blunt dreadlock tips, place the tip of your dread in your palm and rub in a circular motion. Backcomb the remaining tip-hair, moving the knots back up into the lock, then palm-roll. Repeat process until ends have achieved desired look.
• Cutting locks apart or snipping ends is not recommended, as this often causes more problems in the long run. Rip dreads apart to keep them separated, and run your fingers around the sections keeping loose hairs in the dread they belong to.
• Flipping dreads through themselves is not recommended as it may cause kinking, holes and serious weakness in the locks if not done correctly.
• When using Knotty Boy LockSteady Tropical Tightening Gel, coat palms of hands with gel, then drag through wet locks. Do not use on dry locks as it may leave build-up and flakes. Palmroll gel into each lock and let dreads dry thoroughly before tying up.
• Dreadlock maintenance is strongly recommended every 3-4 months for uniform, well-groomed, healthy locks. Re-sectioning, grooming and tightening by weaving loose hair back into locks helps prevent thinning at the root and breakage.
For more questions and answers check out Knotty Boy's FAQ!
All Maintenance, all the time! All the time I had for the day, anyways. 3 back-to-back appointments make for a very, very sleepy Lockafella. 
It's always nice to see Chance and his gorgeous locks. Started by Becca about 4 years ago, and maintained by mostly me since. He takes great care of his locks and is a pretty kickass ambassador for Knotty Boy and dreads in general! We spent pretty much this entire appointment debating about various superpowers. FYI, we both choose Regeneration over Invincibility, though for different reasons. 
Sarah's appointment was actually for yesterday, but she kinda misjudged how crazy Canadians would be for US Black Friday deals and got stuck in the northbound lineup. Luckily today worked out a little better, and we managed to finish up all her seven million locks in two hours. Fingers crossed that she's already back home south of the border! As per usual with our American clientele, I pulled out the DVD player and schooled Sarah in a little classic Degrassi Jr. High. Spreading the gospel one head at a time..
.
Last but so not least on this marathon maintenance day is Catherine, who came over from the Island. She had approximately the same amount of hair as Sarah, but much less interest in Canadian children's programming circa 1987. This chick actually managed to read a book while I ripped apart her locks! I'm always so impressed by that! Hey, I had dreads - I know what maintenance feels like. This lady here is a total badass - watch out!
